Screw-driver.



M. E. EDWARDS.

SCREW DRIVER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. Is. 1913.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MASENA EDGAR EDWARDS, OF LANDER, WYOMING.

SCREW-DRIVER.

Application filed October 18, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAsENA EDGAR EDWARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lander, in the county of Fremont and State of Wyoming, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Screw- Drivers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved screw driver, particularly, to that class of screw drivers wherein means is provided for holding the screws to be driven in operative relation to the tool prior to the driving of the screw, and the primary object of the invention is to generally improve that particular type of screw driver and to embody in a single organization means whereby the vertical walls of the screw slot may be firmly engaged by the tips or nibs of the tool, and maintained in such engagement throughout a driving operation, this being accomplished by means of a pair of pivoted expanding jaws so disposed with respect to the screw as to fit the slot thereof, and, when expanded by the novel and peculiar means associated therewith, to bite and engage the walls of the said slot to maintain the screw acted upon in operative relation with the driver.

A further object of the invention contemplates the provision of means embodying a vertically adjustable operating rod so constructed and connected with the driving jaws of the tool as to expand and contract the former to provide for the insertion and withdrawal of the same from the slot of the SCIGVV.

The invention still further resides in the provision of locking means including a pawl and rack so arranged within the barrel or stock of the tool as to provide for the maintenance of the adjustable rod in set or adjusted position.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in their preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification and then more particularly pointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and form a part of this application.

In describing my invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,- and in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916. Serial No. 795,974.

partly broken away and partly in elevation, illustrating the application of the invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the locking means embodied in the present invention; Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the expanding jaws; Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the other of the said jaws; Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation, partly broken away, of the rod employed for the purpose of releasing the pawl from engagement with the rack provided therefor; and Fig. 6 illustrates a modified medans for operating the vertically movable ro Referring now to the drawings wherein is illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention the numeral 1 designates the handle and 2 the stock or barrel of the tool, the latter being connected to the former by any suitable means. Disposed within the barrel 2, I provide partitions 3, the same being maintained in spaced relation, as screws 4 are provided as securing means therefor. An operating rod, designated as an entirety by the numeral 5 extends vertically throughout the greater portion of the length of the barrel, the upper end of the said rod being provided with an extension 6 adapted to project exteriorly of the barrel 2 through an elongated opening or slot 7 formed therein, to provide for the operation of the rod. Alined openings 8 are formed in the partitions 3 through which the said rod 5 extends, the said partitions serving as a guide or bearing for the said rod. The lower end of the rod 5 is bifurcated as at 9 to which end links 10 are pivotally secured as at 11. Pivotally connected to the links 10 as at 12 I provide a pair of expanding or engaging jaws designated as an entirety by the numeral 13, each jaw being provided with a plurality of extensions 14 terminating at their free end in tips or nibs 1.5 so formed as to bite or firmly engage the walls of the slot or screw acted upon, this being illustrated to advantage in Fig. l of the drawings wherein a screw is shown in dotted lines. The extensions of one jaw are so disposed with respect to the extensions of the other of the said jaws as to fit therebetween, thereby alternating the disposition of the nibs 15, as the nibs upon one of the said jaws extend outwardly in one direction while the nibs of the other of the said jaws extend in a like manner in the opposite direction. The said two jaws 13 are pivotally connected as at 14 at a point intermediate their ends, and as the upper portion of each jaw extends out wardly or in a direction opposite one to the other, it is apparent that the extensions thereof may be expanded or contracted laterally by actuating the links 10 through the instrumentality of the operating rod 5.

At a point intermediate the ends of the rod 5, preferably between the partitions 3 aforesaid, teeth 16 are formed thereby pro viding what will be hereinafter termed a rack. Adjacent the rack 16, and upon the operating rod 5, an outwardly directed annular flange 17 is formed, against which one end of an expansion spiral spring 18 abuts, the opposite end of the said spring abutting the upper face of one of the partitions 3, the said spring being disposed to embrace the said rod 5 and to normally exert an upward pressure thereupon. To limit the movement of the said rod 5, a second flange 19 is provided, the same being disposed for engagement with the under face of the said partition 3.

\Vithin the barrel 2, and at one side thereof I provide a pivoted pawl 20, the free end of which is adapted for engagement with the teeth of the rack 16. A leaf spring 21 is disposed for engagement with the said pawl 20 to at all times exert an upward pressure thereupon, and, as is apparent upon application to Fig. 2 0f the drawings, providing a means whereby the said pawl is maintained or supported in engagement with the teeth of the rack 16 to lock the rod 5 against vertical movement when once adjusted. Passing on to the means employed for the purpose of releasing the said pawl from engagement with the rack, the same comprises a vertically movable rod 22 one end of which is extended as at 23 exteriorly of the barrel 2 through a slot 24 formed therein. A lug or projection 25 is formed integrally with and upon the said rod 22, which lug is disposed for engagement with the said pawl 20 to force the latter out of engagement with the teeth 16 by compressing the spring 21, as well as a spring 26 arranged to embrace the said rod 22 at a point adjacent the lower end thereof. The said pawl when thus disengaged from the rack 16, unlocks the rod 5 upon which the said rack is formed, thereby allowing the latter to be automatically raised through the medium of the spring 18. A flange 27 is formed upon the rod 22 against which one end of the spring 26 abuts, the opposite end of the said spring abutting the partition 3. An enlargement 28 is formed upon the lower end of the said rod 22 to limit the vertical movement thereof in one direction, the said head being disposed for engagement with the under face of the said partition.

Having described fully the construction of the device, it now remains to set forth a little more in detail the operation thereof.

When it is desired that a screw should be driven, the nibs 15 of the expanding orengaging jaws 13 are inserted within the slot of the said screw, whereupon a downward pressure is exerted upon the operating rod 5 to cause the said jaws to expand within the slot and the nibs to bite and firmly engage the vertical walls thereof. By forcing the said rod 5 downwardly, the pawl 20 automatically locks the said rod in such adjusted position, thus preventing accidental contraction of the said jaws. \Vhen thus arranged, it is apparent that the screw acted upon is securely held in proper relation to the tool, thereby permitting the said screw to be driven without danger of the tool disengaging the slot thereof. After a driving operation, the rod is depressed forcing the pawls 20 out of engagement with the rack 16, in which event the action of the spring 18 will return the said operating rod 5 to its normal raised position, thereby contracting the jaws 13 and withdrawing the nibs 15 thereof from engagement with the walls of the slot.

From the above, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is apparent that a positive lock for the operating rod 5 has been provided; that the expansion of the jaws 13 by the operation of the said rod 5 is sufficient to securely hold the screw acted upon in operative relation with the tool; and that slots 29 may be formed within the barrel 2 at a point adjacent the lower end thereof through which the links 10 and aws 13 are free to extend.

Referring now to the modification shown in Fig. 6, a lever 30 has been provided, the same being disposed to extend transversely through an opening 31 formed within the barrel, the said lever being pivoted as at within the said opening and connected as at 33 to the upper end of the operating rod 3% thereby permitting vertical movement to be imparted to the said rod by the manipulation of the said lever.

In reduction to practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description as the preferred embodiment, is the most efficient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of my inventively movable jaws, the said jaws being adapted for engagement with the screw acted upon, a rod actuatable to move the jaws into and out of engagement with the screw, and a releasable lock means operating automatically to engage said rod for the purpose specified.

Q. A screw driver including a hollow stock, clamping jaws pivotally connected together and arranged within the said stock at the lower end thereof, a portion of the said jaws projecting beyond the extremity of the said stock, a spring actuated vertically movable operating rod arranged within the said stock, a projection formed upon one end of the said rod adapted to project exteriorly of the said stock, and means operated exteriorly of the said stock for locking the said rod in adjusted position, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A screw driver including a hollow stock, pivotally connected clamping jaws arranged within the said stock adjacent the lower end thereof, a portion of the said jaws adapted to project exteriorly of the said stock, a vertically adjustable operating rod arranged within the said stock, an extension formed upon one end of the said rod, the said extension adapted to project exteriorly of the said stock, links pivotally connecting the. said clamping jaws to the said operating rod for expanding the said jaws by the actuation of the said rod, means for locking the said rod in adjusted position to maintain the said jaws in expanded position, and means for releasing the said locking means, as and for the purpose set forth.

4:. A screw driver including a hollow stock, pivotally connected clamping jaws arranged within the said stock adjacent one end thereof, extensions formed integrally with the said jaws and forming a part thereof adapted to project beyond the extremity of said stock, a vertically movable operating rod arranged within the said stock, an extension formed upon one end of the said rod adapted to project exteriorly of the said stock, the actuation of the said rod adapted to expand and contract the said a rack formed upon the said rod intermediate its ends, in 321118 carried by the said stock and disposed for engagement with the said rack to lock the said rod in adjusted position, and means disposed for engagement with the said locking means and operated extcriorly of the said stock for withdrawing the said locking means from engagement with the said rack, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. A screw driver including a hollow stock, pivotally connected clamping jaws arranged within the said stock adjacent one end thereof, extensions formed integrally with each of the said clamping jaws, the

extensions of one aw adapted to fit between the extensions of the other, all of the said extensions adapted to project beyond the extremity of the said stock, means formed integrally with and upon the extremities of the said extensions adapted to engage the screw acted upon, an operating rod mounted for vertical adjustment within the said stock, an extension formed upon one extremity of the said rod adapted to project exteriorly of the stock, the actuation of the said rod adapted to expand and contract the said aws, a rack formed upon the said rod intermediate its ends, a spring actuated pawl disposed for engagement with the said rack to lock the said rod in adjusted position, and means including a vertically movable rod adapted for engagement with hev said pawl to withdraw the same from engagement with the said rack, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. A screw driver including a hollow stock, pivotally connected clamping aws arranged within the said stock adjacent one end thereof, spaced apart extensions formed integrally with each of the said jaws, the extensions of one jaw being adapted to fit betvieen the extensions of the other of the said jaws, nibs formed upon the lower extremity of each of the said extensions, the nibs of one extension projecting oppositely to the nibs of the other of the said extensions, a vertically adjustable operating rod extending throughout the greater portion of the length of the said stock, an extension formed upon one end of the said rod adapted to project exteriorly of the said stock, links connecting the said rod with the said jaws, the actuation of the said rod adapted to expand and contract the said jaws, a rack formed upon the said rod at a point intermediate its ends, a spring actuated pawl arranged within the said stock and disposed for engagement with the said rack to lock said rod in adjusted position, a vertically movable soring actuated rod arranged within the said stock and projecting at one end exteriorly thereof, adapted for engagement with the said pawl to withdraw the same from engagement with the said rack to release the said operating rod, spring means associated with the said rod to contract the said clamping jaws when the said rod is released by the said pawl, and guide means carried by the said stock through which the said rod extends, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MASENA EDGAR EDlVARDS. lVitnesses GRACE CURRY, JOSEPH H. SHARP.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

